Dear Parliamentary Candidates

At every General Election people sign up for change. CVA is in the business of social change and in this Manifesto we take our lead from the volunteers, connectors, social entrepreneurs and charity workers who are rebooting local democracy and creating new community-led models of provision. Your support is much appreciated.

Croydon Communities Manifesto 

From the volunteers we place to the networks we host and the delivery programmes we run, CVA has its finger on the pulse of Croydon’s Civil Society. Together with our community, faith and social enterprise partners we will:

• Bring local communities together – hosting Local Community Partnerships that empower the people who know their area best to design Local Plans that influence spend in each locality. 
• Recruit a new generation of volunteers – to shape what we mean by active citizenship, using volunteer roles like mentoring young people or befriending elders to enable local people to give back to their communities. 
• Tackle violence affecting young people – creating a new model of youth provision in Croydon based on strengthening families, partnering with schools and investing in community-run youth centres. 
• Sustain and strengthen our community assets – bottling Croydon’s incredible community spirit in spaces that are affordable and accessible for local people.
• Invest in our communities – and on flagship projects that partner large charities with grassroots groups, showcasing the innovation and enterprise in our community sector.
• Reduce dependency on statutory services – promoting community-led services that shift from cure to prevention and support people into positive activities encouraging independence and self-sufficiency.